Setting Goals : Update 1

So on March 15th 2014 I posted my new goals for my creative future. I decided on focusing my skills to becoming a 2D Traditional Key Animator. What was missing was a specific timeline and steps to make this a realistic goal.

The reason I post this on my blog, is that it becomes "real", I need to sit down and verbalise this idea/ambition. Too many people have these raw ideas like: "I want to be a background artist/character designer/...". But there is no real plan on how to actually achieve this. It's also not recorded anywhere, so there is no pressure/urgency to succeed.

Since last time I've been able to think a little bit about what skills I lack, and was able to be more specific about what type of animation I want to do.

(Young Justice TV series)

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UPDATED GOAL: Create a showreel specific for Frame by Frame TV action series (Legend of Korra / Justice League).

DEADLINE: March 2016

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REQUIRED SKILLS?
To draw on a show like Legend on Korra / Justice League, you need 2 things:
- Action Animation Know How
- Effortless ability to draw the Human Figure

While I have a mountain to climb to become a better animator, I am already improving month to month. And the show I work on really gives me the opportunity to develop my animation skills.

But one thing I really lack is the ability to draw the human figure effortlessly and convincingly. This includes ANATOMY, POSING (something I only started thinking about since a few months), STYLE. So as a result, that is STEP 1:

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BREAKDOWN STEP 1: 
Draw everyday (if possible) from reference:
- Life Drawing
- Movie stills
- Comicbooks (especially for heroic posing)
- Draw from animation (Legend of Korra / Justice League).

DEADLINE: March 2015

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(Sketches by Lesean Thomas - Legend of Korra)

I'll revise my plans on March 2015 if needed. But basically I'll be studying the human figure in all it's shapes and forms until then. There's no point animating something you can't draw yet :P

Some people might ask: You know you can't work on shows like Legend of Korra / Young Justice right? It's done in Korea.
-> Yes you're right, my goal is not to "work". My goal is the have the "skills" to "be able" to work on a show like that. I have the confidence that when you have that kind of drawing ability, you'll be able to work in many different types of jobs. But more than that, I draw for myself....and for me that is the secret to self motivation...you need to be selfish and you need to find something you really love, otherwise it becomes "work" and you'll eventually give up.